Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Rise Above Rebel (Large Format)”?
Artist Statement
Rise Above Rebel 2012 from the Target Series Three-color relief on handmade paper 35 x 25 1/2 inches Edition of 35 Published by Pace Editions, Inc.
Summary
Rise Above Rebel is a 2012 large-format relief by Shepard Fairey from the Target Series, published by Pace Editions in an edition of 35. It is a three-color relief on handmade paper measuring 35 x 25 1/2 inches. The title invokes Fairey's enduring Rise Above slogan, here paired with a rebel figure within the series' target framework. Executed in hand-pulled relief on premium paper through a major fine-art publisher, the work presents Fairey's defiant, motivational iconography at substantial scale, one of several Target Series variations that systematically explore a recurring motif across subjects and palettes.
Why It Matters
Rise Above Rebel carries one of Shepard Fairey's most personally significant phrases: Rise Above, a slogan rooted in punk and hardcore culture that he has used for decades as a rallying cry for individual defiance and self-empowerment. Anchoring a rebel figure to that phrase within the Target Series ties Fairey's confrontational, motivational ethos to the fine-art relief format he developed with Pace Editions. The work matters both for that thematic weight and for its production: hand-pulled three-color relief on handmade paper in an edition of just 35 places it among his scarcer, more collectible objects, distinct from his hundreds-strong screen prints. The rebel-and-target pairing reinforces Fairey's recurring tension between resistance and the systems of power and surveillance his target motif evokes. For collectors, the appeal combines Pace provenance, premium materials, small edition, and large scale with the resonance of the Rise Above message. As part of a systematic series, it rewards set-building, and within Fairey's broader arc it shows how his punk-derived slogans were channeled into mature, gallery-oriented printmaking.
Collector Perspective
Rise Above Rebel appeals to collectors who connect with Fairey's defiant Rise Above ethos as well as those completing the Target Series. The motivational, punk-rooted message gives it strong personal resonance for buyers who follow Fairey's activist sensibility, while the Pace Editions imprint and edition of 35 satisfy scarcity-focused collectors. At 35 x 25 1/2 inches on handmade paper, it is a substantial wall piece for a gallery setting or dedicated collection. It pairs well with the other Target Series variants for cohesive display. The hand-pulled relief process and premium paper give it tactile, fine-art appeal beyond his standard screen-print editions.
Historical Context
Rise Above Rebel was produced in 2012 within Shepard Fairey's Target Series for Pace Editions. The Rise Above slogan has deep roots in Fairey's biography, drawn from punk and hardcore culture and used across his work for years as a call to individual defiance. Rendering it as a three-color relief on handmade paper places the work in the phase where Fairey moved from self-published editions toward fine-art printmaking with an established publisher. Within the Target Series, the rebel image is one of several variations methodically exploring a single motif. In Fairey's broader arc, the work demonstrates how his early punk-derived slogans matured into collectible, labor-intensive editions aimed at the gallery market.
FAQ
What is the meaning of Rise Above Rebel?
The title invokes Fairey's long-used Rise Above slogan, rooted in punk and hardcore culture, paired with a rebel figure. The record places it in the 2012 Target Series, tying his defiant message to the target motif.
What is the medium and size?
It is a three-color relief on handmade paper measuring 35 x 25 1/2 inches, as described in the source. This hand-pulled relief technique differs from Fairey's more common screen prints.
How large is the edition?
The edition is 35, per the record, making it a small fine-art run compared with Fairey's Obey Giant screen prints that typically number in the hundreds.
Who published this print?
Rise Above Rebel was published by Pace Editions, Inc., an established fine-art print publisher, which distinguishes it from Fairey's self-released Obey Giant editions.
Related Works
About the Artist
Shepard Fairey (b. 1970, Charleston, South Carolina) is an American street artist, graphic designer, and activist, and a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. His 1989 “André the Giant Has a Posse” sticker grew into the global OBEY GIANT campaign — an ongoing experiment in propaganda, obedience, and visual culture. He reached worldwide recognition with the 2008 “Hope” portrait of Barack Obama, now held by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Across screen prints, stencils, murals, and collage, Fairey channels propaganda aesthetics toward themes of peace, justice, environmentalism, and civil rights. His work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and LACMA.